Governor Nyesom Wike on Wednesday said the next President of the country will spend his tenure fixing the ethnic, religious and socio-economic problems created by the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He said that since the APC administration assumed office in 2015, religious intolerance and ethnic division have deepened. And worst still, is the politicisation of security.
Wike stated this during the official presentation of a letter of nomination to him for the “ 2020 Extra-Ordinary Personality of the Year Award” by the management of Silverbird Group at the Government House, Port Harcourt.
According to him, despite the glaring insecurity, religious and ethnic division in the country, the officials of the federal government have continued to live denial that Nigeria is now more united and secure than ever.
He, however, maintained that whoever becomes President in 2023 will spend his entire tenure trying to resolve the various socio-economic crisis caused by the present administration.
“The problem in Nigeria which I have always said is that the press, the media is part of our headache. The media have lost their voice. I remember when Goodluck Jonathan was the President, it was as if the media want to pull down the whole of Nigeria.”
On the issue of insecurity, he said the seeming inability of the military to end insurgency in the North East and other parts of the country is due to the involvement of sacked Service Chiefs, particularly former Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Yusuf Buratai in politics.
“You were witnesses to how under Buratai, the army was exposed to politics, which have never happened in the history of this country. The army began to carry ballot boxes. I have never seen that. Before we used to talk about the police, now it’s no longer the police.
“Professionalism is no longer there and that is why it is difficult to fight insecurity. Instead of then to concentrate and map out a strategy, what they are interested in is Rivers State. Who will we send there to make sure the election is rigged. The former Chief of Army Staff will even call INEC to cancel Rivers State election because of his interest. I have never seen this kind of thing in my life.”
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Wike said it was regrettable the former Chief of Army Staff failed to condemn his personnel who invaded INEC office in Port Harcourt a day after the Rivers State governorship election in 2019 in an attempt to subvert the wishes of the people, instead, he chose to shield them from prosecution.
“If there is a country that really means well for its citizens, the former GOC in Rivers State would have been dismissed from the Army, but because he was sent by his so-called leaders, they have to protect him. That is the country that we are in, and that is why we think the media should come up and tell the world some of these stories.”
The governor noted that the inability of the media to scrutinise those in authority is partly responsible for lack of accountability by those in office.
For instance, he stated that the President had promised to fight corruption and bring to book who he accused of killing the economy. But, ironically who he accused of killing the economy are now members of his political party and free from prosecution.
He said his administration is paying 1.8 billion monthly as pensions to retirees
“Our State pays not less than 1.8Billion Naira every month for pensioners. People told me that there are news that the government do not pay pensioners. I cannot spend 1.8Billion Naira every month to pay pensioners and you will say I don’t pay pensioners, is not true.”
